ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY (EEfS)
HEN strongly believes that we have a responsibility to promote and bring about a more sustainable future not only for the planet we inhabit but also for our children and their children. Environmental Education for Sustainability (EEfS) is viewed as a vehicle to create this change. EEfS recognises the complexity of environmental problems and that an inter-disciplinary and integrated approach is needed to address the issues.
We acknowledge that education in and about the environment are important and even more critical is Education for the Environment in developing critically thinking and acting environmental citizens.
HEN set about to develop these principles through a program titled Alive! in which school groups and other youth groups were empowered to select and work on their chosen environmental issue with mentoring to develop solutions. Two days set aside for groups to present their outcomes and demonstrate techniques were wildly successful!
Finally, in the longer term, these groups established projects which will hopefully endure and develop on their own campuses well after the children have moved on. The other outcome is the formation of Hawkesbury Environmental Educators Network (HEEN). This group is now planning four term meetings across schools and other institutes, to share ideas and resources which can enable much stronger education for environmental sustainability.
See contacts and links here:
HEEN Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367351370101225/
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/sustainableschools/connect/envnetwork.htm
http://www.uws.edu.au/rcegws/rce/teacher_educational_for_sustainability
